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Advances in Spotted Fever
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Advances in Spotted Fever

A special issue of Pathogens (ISSN 2076-0817). This special issue belongs to the section "Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 January 2024) | Viewed by 14065

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Valentines Chisu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Animal Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sardegna, 07100 Sassari, Italy
Interests: parasitology; ticks and tick-borne diseases; medical microbiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Spotted fever group rickettsioses (SFGR) are a group of diseases caused by a large and expanding number of rickettsial species that represent emerging animal and human pathogens worldwide. Rickettsial agents are transmitted to hosts via arthropods, mainly ticks that constitute the vector and the main reservoir of most spotted fever group rickettsiosis. The detection of new Rickettsia species indicates that the epidemiology of these diseases is changing, and the control of vector populations, as well as the development of strategies in order to limit vectors spread and transmission of vector-borne diseases, represent a future challenge. This Special Issue will highlight aspects of microbiology, pathogenesis, epidemiology, laboratory diagnosis of Rickettsia species, and related ticks collected from human, wild, and domestic animals.

You are invited to submit all types of articles, including short reports, primary research articles, and reviews summarizing different aspects of spotted fever zoonoses.

We look forward to your contribution.

Dr. Valentines Chisu
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pathogens is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ectoparasite
  • ticks
  • tick-borne diseases
  • rickettsiosis
  • spotted fever group rickettsiosis
 

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 2088 KiB  
Article
Pathogens Detected in Questing Ixodes ricinus Ticks in a Mountainous Area in Greece
by Katerina Tsioka, Anastasios Saratsis, Styliani Pappa and Anna Papa
Pathogens 2024, 13(6), 449; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13060449 - 25 May 2024
Viewed by 1459
Abstract
Ixodes ricinus ticks are vectors of a plethora of pathogens. The purpose of this study was to screen 398 I. ricinus ticks for a variety of pathogens. Following the pooling, homogenization, and extraction of total nucleic acids, a real-time PCR was applied for [...] Read more.
Ixodes ricinus ticks are vectors of a plethora of pathogens. The purpose of this study was to screen 398 I. ricinus ticks for a variety of pathogens. Following the pooling, homogenization, and extraction of total nucleic acids, a real-time PCR was applied for the detection of a panel of tick-borne pathogens, while additional conventional PCRs combined with Sanger sequencing were applied for the detection of viruses and typing of Rickettsia and Borrelia species. At least one pathogen was detected in 60 of the 80 (75%) tick pools. Rickettsia spp. predominated, as it was detected in 63.75% of the pools (51/80; MIR 12.81%), followed by Borrelia spp. (35 pools (45%); MIR 8.79%), while Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected in 2 pools (2.5%, MIR 0.5%). The ticks of six Rickettsia-positive pools were tested individually (from stored half-ticks); all sequences were identical to those of R. monacensis. Similarly, the ticks of six Borrelia-positive pools were tested individually, and it was shown that four belonged to the genospecies Borrelia garinii and two to Borrelia valaisiana. Phleboviruses were detected in 3 pools (3.75%; MIR 0.75%), with sequences clustering in the Ixovirus genus, while nairoviruses were detected in 7 pools (8.75%; MIR 1.76%), with one sequence clustering in the Orthonairovirus genus, and six clustering in the Norwavirus genus. Although a small number of ticks from only one area in Greece were tested, a variety of pathogens together with recently identified viruses were detected, prompting further studies in ticks and surveillance studies in humans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Spotted Fever)
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12 pages, 858 KiB  
Article
Do Commercial Insect Repellents Provide Protection against the Tick Amblyomma sculptum (Acari: Ixodidae)?
by Beatriz Rodrigues de Barcelos, Nathália Gabriela Silva Santos Coelho, Mayara Macedo Barrozo Santos, Francisca Letícia Vale, Ana Lúcia Coutinho Teixeira, Lainny Martins Pereira e Souza, Viviane Zeringóta, Caio Márcio de Oliveira Monteiro, Chesterton Ulysses Orlando Eugenio and Marcos Takashi Obara
Pathogens 2024, 13(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens13010009 - 21 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1500
Abstract
Amblyomma sculptum is a species of public health interest because it is associated with the transmission of the bacteria that causes Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF). The use of repellents on humans is a prophylactic measure widely used to provide protection against a series [...] Read more.
Amblyomma sculptum is a species of public health interest because it is associated with the transmission of the bacteria that causes Brazilian Spotted Fever (BSF). The use of repellents on humans is a prophylactic measure widely used to provide protection against a series of arthropod vectors, including mosquitoes and ticks. However, in Brazil, the effectiveness of commercial repellents against A. sculptum is little known. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out specific studies to evaluate the repellency of these commercial products, registered for use against mosquitoes, against the star tick. The main goal of the present work was to evaluate the effectiveness of six commercial repellents against A. sculptum. Unfed nymphs, aged between two and eight weeks, were tested against products based on DEET (OFF!® and Repelex®), Icaridin (Exposis® and SBP®), and IR3535 (Johnsons and Henlau). Three bioassays were conducted to evaluate tick behavior: (i) filter paper, (ii) fingertip, and (iii) field. All bases tested showed high repellent activity, differing significantly (p < 0.05) from the control. It was observed the formulation with DEET resulted in the best results in the filter paper bioassay. In the fingertip bioassay, the DEET base repelled a greater number of ticks compared to Icaridin. In the field bioassay, there was no significant difference between the Icaridin base and DEET, and both formulations differed from the control (p < 0.05). The six formulations tested showed significant percentages of repellency against ticks; however, for the fingertip and field bioassays, the products OFF!®, Repelex®, and Exposis® were tested as they showed better performance in the filter paper test. OFF!® showed the best percentage of repellency (100%), followed by Repelex® (96.8%), and Exposis® (93.1%), considering the two-hour period of the bioassay-field-test. Proving the effectiveness of repellents on the market against A. sculptum presented in this study is crucial, since this is the main ectoparasite of humans that can transmit Rickettsia rickettsii when infected. The effectiveness of commercial insect repellents against other tick species that parasitize humans can also be explored. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Spotted Fever)
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21 pages, 4050 KiB  
Article
Association of SFG Rickettsia massiliae and Candidatus Rickettsia shennongii with Different Hard Ticks Infesting Livestock Hosts
by Shehla Shehla, Farman Ullah, Abdulaziz Alouffi, Mashal M. Almutairi, Zaibullah Khan, Tetsuya Tanaka, Marcelo B. Labruna, Kun-Hsien Tsai and Abid Ali
Pathogens 2023, 12(9), 1080; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12091080 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1701
Abstract
Ixodid ticks are responsible for the transmission of various intracellular bacteria, such as the Rickettsia species. Little Information is available about the genetic characterization and epidemiology of Rickettsia spp. The current study was designed to assess the tick species infesting various livestock hosts [...] Read more.
Ixodid ticks are responsible for the transmission of various intracellular bacteria, such as the Rickettsia species. Little Information is available about the genetic characterization and epidemiology of Rickettsia spp. The current study was designed to assess the tick species infesting various livestock hosts and the associated Rickettsia spp. in Pakistan. Ticks were collected from different livestock hosts (equids, cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, and camels); morphologically identified; and screened for the genetic characterization of Rickettsia spp. by the amplification of partial fragments of the gltA, ompA and ompB genes. Altogether, 707 ticks were collected from 373 infested hosts out of 575 observed hosts. The infested hosts comprised 105 cattle, 71 buffaloes, 70 sheep, 60 goats, 34 camels, and 33 equids. The overall occurrence of Rickettsia spp. was 7.6% (25/330) in the tested ticks. Rickettsia DNA was detected in Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides (9/50, 18.0%), followed by Rhipicephalus turanicus (13/99, 13.1%), Haemaphysalis cornupunctata (1/18, 5.5%), and Rhipicephalus microplus (2/49, 4.1%); however, no rickettsial DNA was detected in Hyalomma anatolicum (71), Hyalomma dromedarii (35), and Haemaphysalis sulcata (8). Two Rickettsia agents were identified based on partial gltA, ompA, and ompB DNA sequences. The Rickettsia species detected in Rh. haemaphysaloides, Rh. turanicus, and Rh. microplus showed 99–100% identity with Rickettsia sp. and Candidatus Rickettsia shennongii, and in the phylogenetic trees clustered with the corresponding Rickettsia spp. The Rickettsia species detected in Rh. haemaphysaloides, Rh. turanicus, Rh. microplus, and Ha. cornupunctata showed 100% identity with R. massiliae, and in the phylogenetic trees it was clustered with the same species. Candidatus R. shennongii was characterized for the first time in Rh. haemaphysaloides, Rh. turanicus, and Rh. microplus. The presence of SFG Rickettsia spp., including the human pathogen R. massiliae, indicates a zoonotic risk in the study region, thus stressing the need for regular surveillance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Spotted Fever)
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9 pages, 2538 KiB  
Communication
High Prevalence of Rickettsia raoultii Found in Dermacentor Ticks Collected in Barnaul, Altai Krai, Western Siberia
by Alexey V. Rakov, Tatiana A. Chekanova, Ketevan Petremgvdlishvili, Andrey V. Timonin, Anna V. Valdokhina, Sergey V. Shirokostup, Natalia V. Lukyanenko and Vasiliy G. Akimkin
Pathogens 2023, 12(7), 914; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12070914 - 6 Jul 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1577
Abstract
The prevalence of the tick-borne spotted fever group rickettsioses pathogens in ticks collected in Barnaul, the administrative center of Altai Krai, Western Siberia, was studied. The causative agent of tick-borne lymphadenopathy (TIBOLA) Rickettsia raoultii was revealed to be present in 61.9% of the [...] Read more.
The prevalence of the tick-borne spotted fever group rickettsioses pathogens in ticks collected in Barnaul, the administrative center of Altai Krai, Western Siberia, was studied. The causative agent of tick-borne lymphadenopathy (TIBOLA) Rickettsia raoultii was revealed to be present in 61.9% of the samples from Dermacentor ticks. Moreover, Rickettsia helvetica has been identified in 5.1% of Ixodes ticks. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Spotted Fever)
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12 pages, 944 KiB  
Article
Epidemiological, Clinical, and Microbiological Characteristics in a Large Series of Patients Affected by Dermacentor-Borne-Necrosis-Erythema-Lymphadenopathy from a Unique Centre from Spain
by Sonia Santibáñez, Aránzazu Portillo, Valvanera Ibarra, Paula Santibáñez, Luís Metola, Concepción García-García, Ana M. Palomar, Cristina Cervera-Acedo, Jorge Alba, José R. Blanco and José A. Oteo
Pathogens 2022, 11(5), 528; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens11050528 - 30 Apr 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2068
Abstract
During recent decades, a tick-borne rickettsial syndrome, characterized by eschar and painful lymphadenopathy after Dermacentor marginatus-bite, has been described as an emerging rickettsiosis in Europe. Our group named it DEBONEL (Dermacentor-borne-necrosis-erythema-lymphadenopathy), regarding the vector and the main infection signs. Other [...] Read more.
During recent decades, a tick-borne rickettsial syndrome, characterized by eschar and painful lymphadenopathy after Dermacentor marginatus-bite, has been described as an emerging rickettsiosis in Europe. Our group named it DEBONEL (Dermacentor-borne-necrosis-erythema-lymphadenopathy), regarding the vector and the main infection signs. Other groups called it TIBOLA (tick-borne-lymphadenophathy) and, later, SENLAT (scalp-eschar-and-neck-lymphadenopathy-after-tick-bite), expanding, in the latter, the etiological spectrum to other pathogens. Objective: To investigate the etiology of DEBONEL agents in our area, and to compare their epidemiological/clinical/microbiological characteristics. During 2001–2020, 216 patients clinically diagnosed of DEBONEL (the largest series from one center) in La Rioja (northern Spain) were examined. Rickettsia spp. were amplified in 14/104 (13.46%) blood samples, 69/142 (48.59%) eschar swabs, 7/7 (100%) biopsies, and 71/71 (100%) D. marginatus from patients. For samples in which Rickettsia was undetected, no other microorganisms were found. ‘Candidatus Rickettsia rioja’, Rickettsia slovaca, Rickettsia raoultii, and Rickettsia DmS1 genotype were detected in 91, 66, 4, and 3 patients, respectively. DEBONEL should be considered in patients with clinical manifestations herein described in areas associated to Dermacentor. The most frequently involved agent in our environment is ‘Ca. R. rioja’. The finding of Rickettsia sp. DmS1 in ticks attached to DEBONEL patients suggests the implication of other rickettsia genotypes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Spotted Fever)
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9 pages, 497 KiB  
Article
Molecular Evidence for Flea-Borne Rickettsiosis in Febrile Patients from Madagascar
by Christian Keller, Raphaël Rakotozandrindrainy, Vera von Kalckreuth, Jean Noël Heriniaina, Norbert Georg Schwarz, Gi Deok Pak, Justin Im, Ligia Maria Cruz Espinoza, Ralf Matthias Hagen, Hagen Frickmann, Jean Philibert Rakotondrainiarivelo, Tsiry Razafindrabe, Denise Dekker, Jürgen May, Sven Poppert and Florian Marks
Pathogens 2021, 10(11), 1482; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10111482 - 14 Nov 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2340
Abstract
Rickettsiae may cause febrile infections in humans in tropical and subtropical regions. From Madagascar, no molecular data on the role of rickettsioses in febrile patients are available. Blood samples from patients presenting with fever in the area of the capital Antananarivo were screened [...] Read more.
Rickettsiae may cause febrile infections in humans in tropical and subtropical regions. From Madagascar, no molecular data on the role of rickettsioses in febrile patients are available. Blood samples from patients presenting with fever in the area of the capital Antananarivo were screened for the presence of rickettsial DNA. EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) blood from 1020 patients presenting with pyrexia > 38.5 °C was analyzed by gltA-specific qPCR. Positive samples were confirmed by ompB-specific qPCR. From confirmed samples, the gltA amplicons were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. From five gltA-reactive samples, two were confirmed by ompB-specific qPCR. The gltA sequence in the sample taken from a 38-year-old female showed 100% homology with R. typhi. The other sample taken from a 1.5-year-old infant was 100% homologous to R. felis. Tick-borne rickettsiae were not identified. The overall rate of febrile patients with molecular evidence for a rickettsial infection from the Madagascan study site was 0.2% (2/1020 patients). Flea-borne rickettsiosis is a rare but neglected cause of infection in Madagascar. Accurate diagnosis may prompt adequate antimicrobial treatment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Spotted Fever)
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Review

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26 pages, 2770 KiB  
Review
History and Current Status of Mediterranean Spotted Fever (MSF) in the Crimean Peninsula and Neighboring Regions along the Black Sea Coast
by Muniver T. Gafarova and Marina E. Eremeeva
Pathogens 2023, 12(9), 1161; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12091161 - 14 Sep 2023
Viewed by 2407
Abstract
Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is a tick-borne rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia conorii subspecies conorii and transmitted to humans by Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. The disease was first discovered in Tunisia in 1910 and was subsequently reported from other Mediterranean countries. The first cases of [...] Read more.
Mediterranean spotted fever (MSF) is a tick-borne rickettsiosis caused by Rickettsia conorii subspecies conorii and transmitted to humans by Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks. The disease was first discovered in Tunisia in 1910 and was subsequently reported from other Mediterranean countries. The first cases of MSF in the former Soviet Union were detected in 1936 on the Crimean Peninsula. This review summarizes the historic information and main features of MSF in that region and contemporary surveillance and control efforts for this rickettsiosis. Current data pertinent to the epidemiology of the disease, circulation of the ticks and distribution of animal hosts are discussed and compared for each of the countries in the Black Sea basin where MSF occurs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Spotted Fever)
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